Natural Disaster, Policy Action, and Mental Well-Being: The Case of Fukushima

Arbeitspapier

We study the impact of the Fukushima disaster on people's mental well‐being in another industrialized country, more than 5000 miles distant. The meltdown significantly increased environmental concerns by 20% among the German population. Subsequent drastic policy action permanently shut down the oldest nuclear reactors, implemented the phase‐out of the remaining ones, and proclaimed the transition to renewables. This energy policy turnaround is largely supported by the population and equalized the increase in mental distress. We estimate that during the 3 months after the meltdown, Fukushima triggered external monetized health costs worth €250 per distressed citizen – particularly among risk averse women.

Object Details

• Language: Englisch

References and Relationships

• Bibliographic citation: Series: IZA Discussion Papers ; No. 7691

Classification and Topics

• Classification: Wirtschaft ; Health: Government Policy; Regulation; Public Health ; General Welfare; Well-Being ; Economic Sociology; Economic Anthropology; Language; Social and Economic Stratification ; Climate; Natural Disasters and Their Management; Global Warming
• Subject: Fukushima ; meltdown ; nuclear phase‐out ; mental health ; environmental worries ; SOEP

Contributors, Places and Time

• Event: Geistige Schöpfung
• (who): Goebel, Jan ; Krekel, Christian ; Tiefenbach, Tim ; Ziebarth, Nicolas R.
• Event: Veröffentlichung
• (who): Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA)
• (where): Bonn
• (when): 2013

Further information

• Handle: http://hdl.handle.net/10419/89947
• Last update: 10.03.2025, 11:43 AM CET